Zim 'close to forming unity govt'

2008-07-24 15:21

Johannesburg - Senior negotiators from Zimbabwe's main opposition Movement for Democratic Change and the ruling Zanu -PF party began talks on Thursday and a report indicated they were close to reaching a deal on forming a unity government.

The talks were under way on Thursday, President Thabo Mbeki's spokesperson Mukoni Ratshitanga said. Top MDC officials and two Zimbabwean cabinet ministers were leading the rival negotiating teams meeting at an undisclosed venue in Pretoria.

Preliminary talks began on Tuesday after Mbeki secured a framework deal between President Robert Mugabe and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Monday for talks to end the deadlock over Mugabe's re-election on June 27 in a poll boycotted by the opposition because of violence.

Ratshitanga said even if negotiators missed a two-week deadline set under the framework agreement, it did not mean the end of talks.

He said: "It does not mean if the talks are not done in two weeks, that the talks will collapse."

Zim deal 'basically done'

The main aim of the Pretoria talks would be the creation of a government of national unity, but the two sides differed on who should lead it and how long it should stay in power.

Business Day reported on Thursday that the two sides were close to reaching a deal but still needed to iron out the final details.

Business Day, citing sources in both parties and people familiar with the talks, said a final settlement could be reached soon as the parties had already agreed on many issues.

"They have agreed on most of the issues, except mainly the framework for a new government. The deal is basically done, but what remains are a few issues of detail, implementation and logistics," Business Day quoted a source as saying.

Zimbabwean political analyst Eldred Masunungure said a breakthrough in talks was possible as the rival parties had been talking under mediation led by President Thabo Mbeki since March last year.

Media blackout

Masunungure said: "A breakthrough is a reasonable possibility, even in two weeks. This is essentially the second phase of the SADC-mediated process, the first phase having started in March 2007."

Mbeki was appointed by regional grouping the Southern African Development Community to mediate between the Zimbabwean parties. He had been increasingly criticised, especially by the MDC, which accused him of taking too soft a line with Mugabe.

As part of the framework deal, the rival parties agreed to a media blackout but Zimbabwe's state-owned Herald newspaper reported on Thursday that MDC and Zanu-PF's main negotiators flew to South Africa on the same flight on Wednesday.

Masunungure, a political science lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe, said a major issue for the negotiators would be the form of a unity government with a number of options mooted, including splitting the executive to create a titular presidency for Mugabe and executive premiership for Tsvangirai.

- Reuters